Women with breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer or endometriosis should ask their doctor before taking flaxseed, because it may act like estrogen in the body. Some researchers think pregnant women should not take flaxseed, because it may act like estrogen in the body.
When taken in recommended amounts, flaxseed and flaxseed oil are generally safe to use. However, when taken in large amounts and with too little water, flaxseed can cause: Bloating. Gas.
While there are no specific recommendations for flaxseed intake, 1-2 tablespoons a day is considered a healthy amount.
Flaxseed contains the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. This acid may help prevent and treat hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). It may also reduce total blood cholesterol. It may help reduce inflammatory conditions.
Flaxseed fibre
It can effectively relieve constipation, but has also shown benefits to help with diarrhoea and symptoms of IBS. Lignan is a type of fibre found in high amounts in flaxseed.
You can consume flax seeds both in the morning and at night. However, some of their benefits might be more effective at different times. For example, consuming them in the morning is a good idea since it's high in fibre and protein. It will also boost your metabolism quite well that way.
Taken at bedtime, consuming flax seeds can increase your levels of fatty acids, which may help in fighting heart diseases by regulating blood cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.
There is research showing that flaxseed is an effective laxative. 8 You'll probably see the results and loosening of stool within 12 to 24 hours after taking flaxseed. Be sure to drink water throughout the day to help relieve the constipation.
In the kidney, flaxseed oil reduced the renal injury in experimental polycystic kidney disease [19]. It also decreased the C-reactive protein and inflammation in chronic hemodialysis patients [20].
Make room for flaxseed, a rightful member of the healthiest foods club. It has even been shown to ease arthritis, especially in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Raynaud's phenomenon.
Hormone-sensitive cancers or conditions: Because flaxseed might act somewhat like the hormone estrogen, it might make hormone-sensitive conditions worse. Some of these conditions include breast and ovarian cancer. Until more is known, avoid taking large amounts of flaxseed if you have one of these conditions.
Eating more than two tablespoons of flaxseeds per day could prevent the proper amount of iodine to be absorbed by the thyroid, which can lead to iodine deficiency, which directly affects the body's ability to make thyroid hormones.
Flaxseeds Balance Oestrogen Levels: Flaxseeds contain lignans, which can help to balance oestrogen levels in the body. This can be beneficial for women with oestrogen-dominant conditions like breast cancer, fibroids, or endometriosis.
Flaxseeds are full of monounsaturated fats and are the perfect seeds to promote a flatter stomach and less visceral fat. Health experts state that flaxseeds help to bring down a person's body fat and lower their cholesterol levels.
But flax seeds should be soaked, and they are high not only in phytic acid, but also in phytoestrogens (source). So the more they're predigested, the more balancing they become: less problematic to our hormone levels. What is this?
Flax seeds are great for increasing levels of sleep-regulating substance serotonin in the body due to their high levels of both tryptophan and omega-3 fatty acids.
Dietary flax seed in PAD patients, in fact, resulted in a 15 per cent reduction in circulating LDL cholesterol as early as one month into the trial.
Flax seeds are widely used in alternative medicine; it has a diuretic effect, so it's used in cases of urinary tract infection and stones. On the other side; it can be used in cases of gastritis as well as respiratory tract infections such as influenza and acute bronchitis.
In both short- and long-term animal studies, investigators examined the effects of flaxseed supplementation on an experimental model of colon cancer. They found that flaxseed offered a protective effect against the development of precancerous changes (polyps, microadenomas, and aberrant crypts and foci) of the colon.
You may also remember that flaxseed offers a good source of dietary fiber. Flaxseed actually contains prebiotics and feeds healthy probiotics in your digestive system!